Christmas with the Mitchells
by I. M. Frelling-Wonko
Summary: #1 in my Holiday Series. Cam invites the team to spend the holidays with his family. AU
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I was dared by a friend to write a Christmas story and here it is. I don't actually celebrate the holiday so I may get some things wrong. If I do, feel free to call me on it and I'll fix it.

I left Teal'c out because I just couldn't figure out where to fit him, unfortunately. Anyway, I've got established J/S and C/C with a whole lot of D/V (of course).

It takes place sometime after "Ark of Truth".

I'll try to upload a chapter every day. Hope you like it!

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: I own nothing but my imagination.<p>

* * *

><p>Spoiler Warning: A few for seasons 9 &amp; 10 but nothing major.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

**22 December**

"Hey guys." Cam said as he took a seat at the unofficial commissary table of SG-1. Daniel and Vala spared him a look and short greeting before going back to whatever argument they'd been having.

"Hey Cam." Sam said as she laughed and rolled her eyes at the bickering couple beside her.

"What are they fighting about now?" he ventured to ask.

"From what I can gather, it has something to do with the origin of mistletoe."

"Oh, boy." Cam groaned.

"Cameron," Vala turned toward him. "Will you please explain the Tau'ri purpose of mistletoe?"

"Uh, well, uh..." Great, now he was beginning to sound like Jackson. "The tradition says that anyone caught under it has to be kissed."

"Ha! I told you." Vala smirked and Daniel sighed.

"I know that, Vala. But I'm trying to explain the ancient ritual behind the plant. It dates back to the early pagans and was used-"

"Oh, Daniel." It was Vala's turn to sigh. "Can't you ever just find the romance in anything?"

"Romance? Vala, the plant is a parasite. Where's the romance in that?"

Vala sighed again and Cameron shook his head. For someone so smart, Jackson could be a real dolt. He decided it was time to put an end to this argument.

"Okay, enough." When he had everyone's attention, he continued. "On a somewhat related topic, I have something to ask you guys. I know it's short notice, what with Christmas being only a few days away, but hear me out. This is the first Christmas since I took over SG-1 that we've been given the time off and my mother asked me to invite the whole team home. What do you say? I know it would mean a lot to my mom."

"Ooh!" Vala squealed. "I've always wanted to celebrate your Tau'ri Christmas. And I would love to see your parents again."

"Great." Cam smiled at Vala. He knew he could always count on her exuberance. "Mom would love to see you, too. Sam?"

"Well, Mark is visiting his in-laws this year, so I guess I can make it. Is it all right if I invite someone along?"

Cam tried to hold in his groan but he had a bad feeling he knew exactly who she was talking about. This could get uncomfortable.

"Um, yeah, no problem." He saw Sam smirk at his unease. Yup, this was definitely going to get uncomfortable. "What about you, Jackson?"

"Sorry, but I was planning to spend time catching up on my translations. I'll have the entire library to myself and I want to take advantage of it." Jackson looked at his watch and quickly stood. "In fact, I have to get back to work now. SG-5 is waiting for one of those translations."

He was gone before anyone could argue. Well, two out of three wasn't bad, Cam thought. Too bad Teal'c was off-world at a Jaffa council for the next few weeks. He knew his mother would have gotten a real kick out of meeting "Murray".

Looking over to Vala, he noticed she'd lost some of her earlier excitement. She must have noticed his regard because she suddenly looked up and pasted on her mega-watt smile.

"I think I'll go see what Bill is up to." she said, standing. "I do so enjoy watching him try to figure out which piece of Goa'uld technology does what." She flounced out the door looking as if she hadn't a care in the universe but Cam knew better. He also knew that Vala would do everything possible to convince the reluctant archaeologist to join them. Cam grinned as he added Jackson to his list of invites. His mama would be proud.

()()()()

"Come on, Daniel." Vala pleaded as she roamed his office later that night, picking things up and setting them down as she went. "It's Christmas and, according to my research, it's a time to be spent with the people you most care about. Not in some stuffy library all alone."

"I happen to enjoy spending time in "stuffy" libraries all by myself." He sounded like a petulant child, never taking his gaze from his translation.

"I know, darling. And that's why I love you." She was so caught up in her argument, she didn't even notice as his head finally shot up. Nor did she take in the questioning look in his eyes. She sighed heavily and sat on the extra stool. "But this is my first Christmas on your planet and I want to spend it with _all_ of the people I care about." She finally noticed his intent gaze and squirmed under the stare. What had she said to cause such a look?

"Okay." he said after a while. "I'll go. For you."

She squealed and jumped into his arms, planting a quick kiss on his lips. She got down before she could be tempted to turn it into anything more, though. She definitely didn't want him to rethink his agreement.

"Thank you, darling. You won't regret this." With that, she swept out of the office but not before hearing Daniel say something that sounded like, "I'm sure I won't." Shrugging it off, she made her way to her quarters. She didn't have time to analyse Dr. Daniel Jackson. She had packing to do!

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so this chapter is a little short but I promise longer ones are on the way. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

**23 December**

"Hey, Vala, are you almost ready?' Sam asked as she stepped into the other woman's quarters. She stopped dead in her tracks when she nearly tripped over a large pile of clothes and stared in shock. It looked as if Vala's closet had exploded over the entire room. Clothes were everywhere; on the bed, the dresser, the vanity. Sam tiptoed carefully through the mess and called out uncertainly, "Vala?"

"Samantha!" Vala came rushing out of the bathroom, looking harried. "Just the person I needed to see. I can't figure out what to pack."

"You're not packed? Vala, we leave in less than two hours."

"I know. Help me!"

"Okay, just calm down." Sam had never seen her friend looking so agitated. Not even when facing death, which they usually did on a weekly basis. Something was up but she decided to wait until they were done packing before bringing it up.

An hour later Vala was completely packed, Sam having talked her out of some of her more risqué apparel. Sitting on the bed, Sam decided it was time to figure out what was really bugging her friend.

"So, now that that's done, you wanna tell me what _really_ has you so upset?"

Vala sighed and flopped back on the bed. "It's Daniel."

"Daniel? He hasn't changed his mind about coming, has he?" Sam hadn't been at all surprised when Vala had come to her lab last night and told her of the archaeologist's change of heart. Vala could talk him into just about anything. Too bad they were both so blind.

"No, no, nothing like that. He's just been acting...oddly since yesterday."

"Oddly, how?"

"He's been staring at me like he wants to say something but can't quite figure out what. And every time I catch him at it, he just does this half-smile thing, like he has a secret. The strangest thing, though...I caught him..."

"What?" Sam asked when Vala stalled off. It was just getting interesting.

"I caught him...whistling."

"Whistling?" Sam was incredulous. She'd never hear Daniel whistle before. Maybe he wasn't as blind as she'd assumed.

"Yes. Do you think he brought something back from out last mission? Maybe he shouldn't make this trip with us."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much. He's probably just happy. It is Christmas, after all."

"Maybe you're right." Her friend didn't sound at all convinced so Sam decided it was time to change the subject.

"Well, we'd better get this stuff to the gateroom. The _Odyssey _is going to be beaming us out in twenty minutes."

Sam saw Vala force a smile to her lips as they took the luggage to the gateroom thinking that this impromptu holiday may be more interesting than she'd expected.

()()()()

When Cam reached the gateroom, Jackson was already there. He groaned when he saw who the doctor was talking to. Yup, Sam had done it. She'd invited General Jack O'Neill to tag along. Unfortunately he couldn't say much about it. Not only was O'Neill a ranking officer but Cam was fairly certain it was due mostly to his status as a general that they were being allowed to use the _Odyssey's _beaming technology to get to Kansas instead of having to fly. So, taking a deep breath, Cam made his way over to the other two men.

"Where are Sam and Vala?" he asked. Not to mention the woman he'd invited along.

"You know Vala." Daniel said, frowning. "She probably packed her entire wardrobe and had to find some big, strong marines to carry it all."

Cam noticed the tight voice with which Daniel said "marines" but chose to ignore it. As if the thought of Sam and Jack wasn't bad enough.

"Am I late?" came a husky voice from the doorway and they all turned to see Dr. Carolyn Lam strolling in with luggage.

"Naw, Sam and Vala aren't here yet." Cam smiled and placed a chaste kiss to her cheek. She looked nervous and he couldn't blame her. They'd only been dating for a couple of months and this was the first time she'd be meeting his folks. Squeezing her hand, he gave her a reassuring smile. A smile that quickly faded when he glanced into the control room, only to see General Landry giving him a stern look. He cleared his throat and was about to say something when the rest of their entourage walked in. Never in his life had he been so grateful to see anyone.

"Hello, darlings." Vala said cheerfully. "Sorry we're late. I just couldn't figure out what to pack."

"Only two bags, Princess?" he asked, jokingly.

"You'd be surprised at how many silky under-things you can fit into just two bags." she said flirtatiously with a wink.

Cam grinned then looked up at Jackson who was sending him a heated glare. He cleared his throat again and looked toward the control room again.

"Um, Walter, I think we're ready."

"Yes, sir." Walter nodded and, with a final look toward General Landry, he contacted the ship. "_Odyssey_, this is Stargate Command. Six to beam out."

Cam felt to familiar tingling as the white light engulfed him and he smiled. No matter how wacky his group may be, he was just glad he was finally going home for Christmas.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**23 December**

As the white light dissipated, Jack took a cursory glance around. They'd been dropped into a small room of an equally small airport in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. A group of marines stood waiting for them.

"This way, Sir." a tall, bulky one said to Jack, motioning them to follow him. When they reached the hangar, Jack took in the layout. Outside lay two runways that had seen better days with a forest just beyond.

"Well, it's not Minnesota." he remarked sarcastically.

"Thank god." Daniel muttered.

"Your cars are ready, Sir." the tall marine interrupted.

Jack had requested three vehicles for them. No way was he going to be stuck in a car with the space monkey and his space pirate for goodness only knew how long.

"Okay, kids. Let's move out. Sam, you're with me."

As the couples got into their cars, Mitchell with Carolyn and Daniel with Vala, Jack couldn't help but notice the faces of the latter two. Danny was grinning like the Cheshire cat while Vala looked increasingly uncomfortable. Well, that was different, he thought. Something weird was going on with those two and he didn't want to know about it so he simply got into the driver's seat, letting Mitchell lead the way to the farm.

()()()()

"You're awfully quiet over there." Cam stated as he shot a quick glance toward Carolyn. "You okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes, I'm fine." She said it too quickly to be believed so he eyed her once more with a questioning brow. "It's nothing, really. I'm just nervous, I guess."

"What's there to be nervous about? They're my parents, not some blood-sucking aliens. And, believe me, I think I know the difference by now."

"Thanks for the visual, Cameron. But seriously, what if they don't like me?"

"What's not to like?" He said it with a mock leer, hoping to make her laugh. When all he got out of her was a heated glare, he sighed and turned serious, holding onto one of her hands. "Really Caro, they're gonna love you. Just like I do."

She looked up at him, shock evident on her exotic features. He didn't blame her. He was more than a little shocked himself. He hadn't planned on telling her that. At least, not in a car on their way to his parent's home. But now that he'd said it, he didn't regret it at all. In fact, he wondered why it had taken so long for him to admit it. He just hoped she felt the same way.

It seemed like a lifetime before a smile broke out on her face and she leant her head on his shoulder, sighing. "I love you, too."

Cam let out the breath he hadn't been aware of holding and quickly kissed her head. He turned back to the road and smiled. He had no idea why he'd been feeling so nervous about this trip. This was turning out to be the best Christmas ever.

()()()()

As Vala stepped out of the vehicle, she took a deep breath and smiled. It was strange, but she felt like she was coming home. Last time she'd been here Frank and Wendy had treated her like a daughter. She hadn't felt that way since her mother died. So caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't heard Daniel come up behind her. She jumped when she felt his hand rest on her lower back, surprised more by the gesture than the actual contact.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked and it almost sounded as if he were laughing at her. What was he up to?

"Oh, it's nothing. I'd just forgotten how beautiful this place is."

"Gorgeous." she heard him whisper but when she looked up, he was staring straight at her with that penetrating gaze of his. She squirmed under his regard and moved away from his touch. Did he realise the effect he had on her?

Just then, she noticed two figures stepping out of the house and her earlier smile returned.

"Frank, Wendy." She hugged them each in turn. "It is so good to see you."

"It's great to see you, too, Vala." Wendy said sincerely. "I'm glad Cameron talked you into coming."

"He didn't have to do much convincing. I wouldn't have missed this for anything. It's my first Christmas, you know."

"Really?" Wendy looked so shocked at the admission that Vala was afraid she'd said too much.

"Yes, you see, um-"

"They didn't celebrate the holiday where she came from." Cam jumped in and she sent him a grateful smile. He smiled back and continued. "So, Mom, Dad, let me introduce you to the rest of the team...plus. Colonel Samantha Carter, General Jack O'Neill, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Dr. Carolyn Lam. Guys, these are my folks, Frank and Wendy Mitchell."

Handshakes and hugs were exchanged throughout the group before Wendy finally ushered them into the house.

"I'm sure you're all tired after such a long trip." she commented. "How you ever got a flight at such short notice, I don't know, but I'm glad you did."

The team all shared a surreptitious look behind their hosts' backs but no one said a word.

"Anyway, Frank, if you'll show the boys to the den, I'll set the girls up in Cameron's old bedroom. That okay with everyone?"

Jack looked like he was about to argue but one look from Sam quelled whatever he was about to say. "Yeah, sure. Ya betcha." he said instead.

"Great." Wendy smiled and started to lead the girls away.

"Oh, goody. A slumber party." Vala exclaimed.

All four women smothered chuckles when they heard a chorus of disgruntled groans coming from the men.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

I was going to put an extra chapter in here but I couldn't figure out how to write something that actually moved the story forward so I decided just to skip ahead a little.

* * *

><p>Warning: Serious sappiness ahead.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**23 December**

"I am so bored." Vala whined and threw herself backward onto the bed.

Sam and Carolyn rolled their eyes. This was the third time in the last fifteen minutes she'd said that.

"Why don't you try sleeping." Caro replied dryly.

There were a few moments of silence before Vala broke it again. "I wonder what the boys are up to."

"Sleeping, probably." came Carolyn's retort.

Again, there was quiet. And again, Vala broke it. "I'm hungry."

Sam groaned and sat up on her cot. "Wendy said there's some extra pie in the fridge. Go get some."

"I do like pie." Vala said contemplatively before throwing off the covers and making for the door. As an afterthought, she turned and addressed her friends. "You two want something?"

"No!" they said in unison. For extra emphasis, Sam threw her pillow at the door. She heard the other women giggle as she left.

"Oh, thank goodness." Carolyn sighed. Sam could only nod in commiseration as she lay back on her cot again. After a few moments she heard the other cot creak. Popping one eye open, she glanced at her friend.

'What?" she asked carefully, noticing the thoughtful look on the doctor's face.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what the boys are really up to."

Sam groaned and pointed at the door. Carolyn quickly got up and left.

"Finally." Sam sighed and closed her eyes again.

()()()()

The guys had just gone down to bed when they heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." Cam called, curious as to who it was. He grinned when Carolyn poked her head in. "Just couldn't keep away, could you?"

"Couldn't sleep, actually." When she saw his grin widen, she smirked. "Vala was talking too much."

"So you left poor Sam to deal with that alone?" Jack asked.

"Actually, Vala went to get some pie. Sam's all alone, probably trying to finally sleep." If she had been paying attention, she'd have seen the wheels start to turn in Daniel and Jack's heads. As is was, she was entirely focussed on Cam's bare chest. She'd seen men shirtless before. Hell, she'd seen them naked. She was a doctor, after all. But there was just something about Cameron Mitchell...Her musings were thankfully interrupted when Daniel abruptly stood.

"I think I'll go get some pie." He was out the door before Jack could even smirk.

"That's my Danny boy." he said instead.

"Ah, man." Cam groaned.

"I'm gonna go check on...stuff. Leave you two kids alone." Jack said absently.

"Subtle, General." Cam rolled his eyes to the man's back then smiled up at Carolyn again. "Well, now that we're alone..." He trailed off and settled on the sofa, motioning for her to join him.

Grinning, Carolyn did so readily. They cuddled in comfortable silence for a few moments before she spoke. "I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Cam asked perplexed. "You're the one who cleared the room. I should be thanking you."

"Not that." She slapped him playfully. "I want to thank you for inviting me along. I know your mother only expected the team."

"Honey," He turned her face toward him. "I was planning to invite you all along. I didn't need my mother to push me into it. I've wanted you to meet them for a while now."

"Really?" She looked into his crystal blue eyes and saw only love there. Smiling, she kissed his cheek. "Well, thank you anyway. Your mother is lovely. And your father...Well, let's just say I now know where you get all of your gentlemanly tendencies from."

"See, I told you they weren't going to bite. And I have it on good authority that Mom really likes you."

"Oh? And who's authority is that?"

"Dad." he whispered, conspiratorially.

"Well, I suppose with a source like that..." She grinned when he got a mischievous look in his eyes.

"Now, about those gentlemanly tendencies..." She giggled as he rolled them over. To his gentlemanly credit, though, he allowed her to be on top.

()()()()

"You know, that would taste even better with ice cream on top."

Vala jumped at the unexpected voice and turned to see Daniel leaning in the doorway. Oh, and he was shirtless. She had to resist the urge to stand up and lay a hand on that magnificently sculpted torso of his. Didn't he have any idea how that affected her? Of course, he didn't, she thought. Nor would he, if she had anything to say about it. She pushed away the image of her pale hand on his tan chest and tried to come up with something to say.

"Pie?" Oh yeah, that was clever. She wanted to roll her eyes at her own ineptitude but held out the pan to him instead.

"Don't mind if I do." He grinned as took the plate, seemingly making sure to graze his hand over hers in the process. She gave him a wary glance as he dished out his own slice and waited for him to take a seat across the table from her. A nice, safe distance. No such luck, though. He merely leaned against her chair. This was definitely no good for her equilibrium. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was flirting with her. But this was Daniel. He didn't flirt, especially not with her. But, just to be on the safe side, she tried to get him to move. "There is another chair, you know."

"Actually, I was thinking we could move this into the living room." So much for that idea, she thought as Daniel continued. "Frank said he left the fire going in the hearth. Nothing like eating pie in front of a cosy fire on a cold night."

Before she could argue, he grabbed up both of their plates and went into the living room. She had no choice but to follow but she did so cautiously. Something was definitely up with her Daniel. She groaned when she noticed he'd placed her pie on the coffee table in front of the sofa. There was no way she could take it and sit on the opposite side of the room without it looking purposeful so she settled on the couch. Albeit, as far away from him as possible. When he chuckled, she glared at him.

"What exactly is going on with you?"

"With me? Nothing. Why do you ask?" He still had that maddening grin on his face which made her even more suspicious.

"You know why. You've been so...so nice."

"You don't think I'm nice?"

He actually looked hurt so she backtracked a bit. "No, of course I think you're nice. Just...Just not like this and most certainly not to me."

"Well, maybe I want to change that."

She didn't know what to say to that so she decided to remain silent. She picked up her desert for no other reason than to have something to do. She'd suddenly lost her appetite.

"You know," he said after a few moments. "You can move closer. I won't bite."

She shot him another wary glance but sidled over. What harm could it do? That's what she thought until she felt his arm come across her shoulders. She shivered in response as he leant close and whispered in her ear. "Much. I hope."

She pulled back quickly as she remembered saying those exact words when they'd first met. "Okay, that's it. What game are you playing at, Daniel Jackson?"

"No game. Just trying to make us comfortable." Taking the plate from her hand, he set it on the table with his. He lay his hand on her shoulder, trying to coax her closer.

"Well, I'm not comfortable. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Doing what?" He started playing with a strand of her hair and she moaned. "You don't like it?"

"It's not that. It's just..." She moaned again when his fingers started tracing circles up an down her arm. "Daniel, will you stop? Please."

"Why?" He continued his ministrations and she almost didn't have the willpower to stop him. Almost.

"Daniel, please stop."

"Okay." he sighed and pulled his hand away.

"Thank you. Now, can you tell me what's gotten into you? You're the one who insists that we are just friends. What's going on?"

"Maybe I want to be more."

"Since when? As of last week, you were still adamant about our dinners out being just two friends and co-workers out for a meal. What's changed?"

"I don't know, Vala. No, that's not quite true. When you came into my office last night to convince me to come here, you said something. You said, "That's why I love you." Not we, like you usually do, but _I_. I don't think you even realise you said it at the time."

She had? Playing the conversation back in her head, she gasped when she recalled the statement. He laughed and grabbed onto her hand.

"That's what I figured. Vala, I've had feelings for you for quite a while. Probably since the day we met. But I wasn't sure about you. You kept that barrier between us, especially after you got back from the Ori galaxy. I could never be sure whether or not you were just messing with me. But when you said those words last night, I saw the truth behind them. Please tell me I'm not wrong."

"No, Daniel." She squeezed his hand and looked him straight in the eye, feeling a tear run down her cheek. Smiling, she cupped his cheek. "You are not wrong. I do love you. I have pretty much since we met. It's the reason I came back to Earth the first time. The reason I never left the second time. I just..." She broke off, looking away.

"You just what?" he asked as he gently turned her face toward his again.

"I didn't think you felt the same way."

He sighed again and rested his forehead against hers. "Vala, I do love you. I was just afraid of getting hurt again. I am so sorry I made you feel like I didn't care. But I am going to make it up to you."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"Well, first I am going to take you on a real date the minute we get home."

"Really?" She grinned up at him. "What else?"

"You'll just have to wait and see. But, right now I'm tired. What say we curl up and go to sleep?"

She smiled as he pulled her down to lie on the sofa, producing a blanket from the back as they went. She curled into his embrace once more and kissed his chin.

"I love you, my Daniel."

"I love you, too, Vala." he said as he kissed the top of her head. Content in each other's arms, they fell quickly to sleep.

()()()()

Sam heard the door creak open and popped open one eye. She smiled when she heard Jack spit out an expletive as he stubbed his toe on the dresser.

"What took you so long?"

"Hey, there are people in every room down there." he complained as he took off his jacket and came over to the bed. Sam only chuckled as she pulled back the covers. "Couldn't even get a piece of pie."

This time she laughed outright at his childish tone. "Poor baby. I'll make sure to ask Wendy to make an extra one just for you tomorrow." She kissed his cheek when he smiled.

"See, that's why I love you. Always thinking ahead."

"Only because of that?"

"Well, there may be a few other reasons." He grinned mischievously and leant in for a kiss. If anyone had been in the hall at that time, they would have heard a sound most people would never have expected to hear coming from the brilliant astrophysicist; giggling.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I know I got Vala & Daniel together early in this story but, trust me, it's not over yet. I mean, let's face it, when is it ever that easy with these two? :D More to come!

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**24 December**

The next morning, Frank and Wendy came downstairs to find Daniel and Vala asleep on the sofa. They tiptoed through the rooms and into the kitchen.

"Well," Frank said after a moment. "So much for sleeping arrangements."

Wendy laughed as she got some pots and pans out to fix breakfast. She was still chuckling when she heard Frank mutter something about firewood as he left the house.

()()()()

Vala awoke feeling a deep, radiating warmth resting across her middle and glanced down to see Daniel's arm wrapped around her. Gently removing it, she sat up and placed her head in her hands. She'd finally admitted her feelings to Daniel and he'd reciprocated. She should be ecstatic, so why wasn't she?

She stiffened when she felt Daniel stir and looked back to make sure he wasn't waking. She sighed in relief when she saw he was still asleep, wearing a goofy grin on his face. Despite herself, she felt a smile tug on her own lips. He looked so sweet, so innocent there, she didn't want to disturb him. She also wasn't quite ready to talk about last night. She wanted, needed, to figure out a few things before they delved into that particular discussion, so she stood quietly and made her way to Cam's bedroom to dress.

She grinned when she saw Jack sneaking down the stairs. He shrugged and grinned back as they passed. She waited until he was out of sight before she rushed upstairs to have a little girl talk with Samantha.

()()()()

Daniel stared across the table at Vala as she tucked into her breakfast. He'd been disappointed to find her gone when he'd woken up this morning but knew he had to tread softly with her. The fact that she'd admitted she loved him was a huge leap for her and he didn't want to push her before she was ready. Jack was always saying he had the patience of Job and now was the perfect time to test that theory. His thoughts were thankfully interrupted when Mitchell spoke up.

"Dad and I were going to go out and get a tree today. Who's game?"

"I'm in." Sam said. "It's been ages since I've done that."

"Might be worth it to see if Kansas trees can compare to Minnesota trees." Jack said and everyone laughed.

"I don't think I've ever cut down a tree before." Daniel put in. "Might be a good experience."

"I'll go and make sure to bring my medical kit." Carolyn joked. "May have more than our fair share of injuries before this excursion is over."

"Guess it's just you and me, Vala." Wendy said. "I was thinking about baking cookies. Would you care to join me?"

"Oh! I'd love to." Vala smiled brightly. It was the first real smile Daniel had seen on her face all morning and he was glad for it, even if he wasn't the one responsible for putting it there. No, he was a patient man. He'd get to the bottom of this no matter how long it took.

()()()()

"So, I'm guessing you've never made Christmas cookies before." Wendy stated as she pulled cookie trays from the cupboards.

"No." Vala answered honestly. "But I used to bake bread with my mother when I was a child."

"Oh, are you and your mother close?"

"We were." At Wendy's confused look, Vala continued. "She died when I was eight."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

"That's perfectly all right. It was a long time ago and you had no way of knowing." Vala didn't want this woman to feel guilty for something she had no control over. Wendy reminded her so much of her own mother. Vala decided to change the subject. "What can I do to help?"

Wendy smiled in understanding. She liked Vala and didn't want to push her. If she wanted to talk some more, she'd be there to listen. "Let's start by measuring some sugar."

They worked for two hours, laughing and having fun. By the time the last batch of cookies was in the oven, the kitchen and the women were a complete mess. But the day had been fun and they could always convince the men to clean up the mess for them. Vala seemed to have enough charm to weasel all of them into into it, Wendy thought. Speaking of men...

"So, you and Daniel..." she hedged, not wanting to ruin the camaraderie she'd discovered with this woman yet uncontrollably curious about her relationship with the archaeologist. "You looked pretty cosy on the sofa this morning. Are you two a couple? "

"Yes...No...Maybe. Honestly, I'm not quite sure."

"What do you mean?" Wendy questioned.

"For the longest time Daniel has insisted that we are nothing more than friends and co-workers. But last night he told me he loves me. That he wants to be more."

"Well, that sounds promising. Do you love him?"

"Of course I do. I've loved him practically from the day we met."

"So, what's the problem?"

"Our history is...Well, it's rather...complicated."

"How so?" Wendy asked when Vala didn't elaborate.

"When we first met, I was a thief. In fact, I was trying to steal his...Something of his."

Wendy listened without judging. Vala had a good heart. If she'd been forced to make her living as a thief, there must have been a good reason for it. She placed a hand on Vala's to let her know she was not condemning her for her past. Vala smiled and continued.

"To say the job didn't go as planned may be an understatement. I was arrested but escaped. The next time we met, though, I got us into a lot of trouble. Even when I disappeared again and Daniel found me, I couldn't believe he was there to rescue me. No one had ever done anything like that for me. I'm still not entirely sure why he saved me and left...Well, why he didn't just leave me behind."

"Because he loves you, dear. That's what we do for those we care about. Try to help no matter the cost to ourselves."

"Yes, well, sometimes he takes that dedication a little too far." Vala muttered before she seemingly caught herself, trying not to reveal too much.

Wendy let it slide. She knew her son and his team had their secrets and she was okay with it. And not for one moment did she believe Vala worked in accounts. She'd let her have her secrets. Wendy heard the front door open and voices carried in but it seemed Vala was unaware of the others returning. She decided to keep the girl in the dark for a bit longer.

"What I don't understand is _why_ he loves me. I mean, I'm not exactly a prize catch." Wendy was shocked at Vala's estimation of herself. She was beautiful and intelligent, funny and charming. Wendy wondered what could possibly have happened in her life to make her believe otherwise. Before she could say anything, Vala continued. "What could I possibly give him that he couldn't get elsewhere?"

"You." Wendy and Vala turned at the unexpected voice. Daniel was leaning in the doorway, staring straight at Vala. He sauntered into the room and knelt beside her, taking her face in his hands. "You can give me you. I can't get that anywhere else."

"But Daniel, I'm not..." He quieted her with a finger to her mouth and turned to Wendy.

"Would you excuse us, please? I think we need to talk."

Wendy readily agreed and watched as Daniel led Vala away. Hopefully he could get that girl's head on straight.

* * *

><p>AN: Getting a little angsty here, but I promise there is more holiday fun on the way.

A/N 2: I'll likely not post anything this weekend because I am going to be concentrating on finishing the last few chapters of this story. I'll be back Monday. Have a good weekend!

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**24 December**

Daniel led Vala outside where they found a quiet little trail. They stayed silent for a few minutes as they strolled hand in hand, both collecting their thoughts. Neither wanting to mess this up.

"Daniel," Vala said as she pulled them to a stop. "I'm sorry I left you this morning without a word. I just...I needed some time to think."

Daniel smiled at her candid honesty and met it with his own. "I was disappointed to wake up without you in my arms but I figured you needed the space. I guess I sprang all of this on you rather quickly. Didn't give you a lot of time to get used to the idea. But I meant every word I said last night. I love you and want to be with you."

"I know, Daniel." she said with a watery smile. "I just don't understand how you possible could. I mean, you know my history. You know what I am."

"Yes, I do." He cupped her cheek and made her look him straight in the eye so she could see the truth. "I know that you have been forced to face more atrocities than one person should ever have to live through. And you've come out of them stronger than most people would. I also know you are one of the most loving, caring individuals I've ever met. Most people would have allowed those experiences to harden their hearts, but not you. You try to hide it but yours is a tender heart. You are always willing to sacrifice yourself for others. An attribute, I will admit, scares the hell out of me."

"Me? What about you? You're the one who allowed himself to be taken prisoner by Adria to save the rest of us."

"Beachhead, Vala. Need I say more?"

"That's different." She tried to look away but he refused to allow it.

"Why? Do you really think you are more expendable than the rest of us?" She closed her eyes, refusing to speak and he had his answer. And it cut him deeply. "Vala, look at me." When she still refused to open her eyes, he placed his forehead on hers. "Vala, you are no more expendable than anyone else. In fact, you're priceless."

Her eyes finally opened as they widened in shock and Daniel was saddened by the disbelief in her grey depths.

"No one's ever told you that before, have they?" he asked sadly. She only shook her head as a tear ran down her cheek. He pulled her into a tight embrace, trying to show her just how much she meant to him. "Well, let me be the first. You are the most priceless person in the world to me and even if it takes the rest of our lives, I'll make you believe me. I love you, Vala. I'll never let anyone hurt you again." And he was damned well going to keep that promise.

()()()()

"Don't you trust me?" Cam asked. Carolyn gave him a dubious look.

"I trust you. It's _that_ thing I don't trust." She glared at the large beast in front of her.

"It's just a horse, Caro." When she pointed her glare at him, he sighed. "Honey, I've been riding these things since I could walk. And Old Henry here is harmless. Aren't you, boy?" he crooned to the animal and petted his ears to prove how docile he was.

"Well..." Carolyn hesitated as she watched Cam's ministrations with the animal. He seemed gentle enough and she'd always wanted to learn how to ride a horse. Maybe she was being ridiculous.

"Come on, Caro. Just pet him. I promise he won't bite." Cam shot her his little boy smile and she knew she was a goner.

"Fine." She relented and moved toward the horse. She put her hand out for Henry to sniff and giggled at the sensation of his nose on her skin. After a moment, he raised his head in a slight nod. "Now what?"

"Now you can pet him. Just scratch him behind the ears and he's putty in her hands."

She did as instructed and was rewarded with a gleeful whinny from the animal. "He really is sweet, isn't he?"

"I told you. Now, you ready to ride?"

"Ride?" She pulled her hand back in panic.

"Yeah, you know, just jump on his back and take a little walk."

"I don't know." She measured the distance from the horse's back to the ground and gulped.

Cam chuckled and straddled Henry, putting his hand out for her to follow. He smiled as he said, "Trust me?"

She looked into his eyes and knew he was talking about more than riding a horse with those two words. Did she trust him? The answer was an instantaneous and resounding yes so she placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her onto the horse's back. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she knew she trusted him with her life. But, more importantly, she trusted him with her heart. Something she'd never been able to do with any other man. That fact should have frightened her. Instead, it filled her with a giddy exhilaration that even riding a horse couldn't rival.

()()()()

Jack and Sam made their way outside to the porch and sat in the large wooden swing. He felt (and heard) his tired bones creak and crack. He was definitely getting too old for this. He'd forgotten just how much work it was to cut down and set up a Christmas tree. Especially when you had five different people wanting to do it five different ways. They'd finally gotten it settled in the stand after twenty minutes of arguing. Now his back was killing him and he just wanted to rest. He unconsciously let out a groan and heard Sam snicker next to him.

"Very nice, Carter. Laugh at the old man." His voice dripped sarcasm.

"I'm sorry, Jack." she said, not sounding the least bit contrite. "Would you like me to take you and your brittle bones up to bed so you can sleep?"

"Usually an invitation like that would have me running for the nearest bed but, unfortunately, I don't think I can move. Besides," he said as he pulled her to him, resting her head on his shoulders. "I'm comfortable right here."

Jack heard her sigh as she lay her hand on his chest. He wasn't just comfortable, he thought. He was content. After his son died, he'd never thought he'd find happiness again. He certainly didn't think he deserved it. But then he'd joined SG-1 and his entire life had changed. He'd found purpose. He'd found life. And he'd found love.

He looked down at the woman he'd grown to love more than he'd thought possible over the last decade. He couldn't believe it when, after eight years of tiptoeing around the issue, she'd come to him and revealed her feelings for him. This beautiful, brilliant, strong woman loved him. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve such fortune but he knew he'd do anything to make sure he didn't lose her.

She must have felt his stare because she suddenly looked up at him, bemused tenderness in her eyes. He also saw the depths of her love and had to remind himself to keep breathing at the sight.

"We should get married." he blurted. She pulled back, eyes wide and mouth agape. Okay, not the reaction he'd been expecting. Not that he'd planned to ask her like that but, now that he had, he wasn't backing down.

"You're serious?" she finally asked.

"Of course I am. I love you, Samantha Carter and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. What do you say? Will you marry me, brittle bones and all?"

"Yes, Jack, I'll marry you." Sam grinned and threw her arms around his neck. "Brittle bones and all."

Jack wrapped his own arms around her and kissed her deeply. After a moment he pulled back, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's wait until tomorrow to tell everyone. It can be Mitchell's Christmas present."

"Oh, he'll love that." she said sarcastically but she was still grinning.

"I know." he said and laughed as he pulled his new fiancée back in for a kiss.

()()()()

Wendy Mitchell was just like any other happily married woman in as much as she wanted those around her to be equally happy. That's why she was currently standing at her front window, watching the three couples outside. She could tell just by looking at them that they were all in varying degrees of their relationships.

Samantha and Jack acted like an old married couple. Which fit from what she'd gathered. Vala had told her the two had met over a decade ago and had been secretly dating for the last two years or so. They seemed not to need words to communicate, relying mostly on body language and eye contact. He could see they shared a bond that went beyond love. Yes, the love was definitely there, but it was cemented with the knowledge of shared experiences that a couple only gains through time.

Her eyes strayed from the couple on the porch to the barn. She could see Cameron gently helping Carolyn from the back of Old Henry and grinned when he pulled the young woman in for a kiss. She was thrilled to see her son so carefree. It had been a long time since he'd acted this way with a woman. Even with Amy he'd been somewhat guarded in his relationship. There were things about his work she knew he wasn't allowed to talk about and Amy had never been able to accept that. But with Carolyn, there were no secrets. She already knew what Cam did and she accepted it.

Wendy liked the girl. She was honest, kind, funny. And she wasn't afraid to put Cameron in his place. That was exactly what her headstrong boy needed. After his plane crash several years ago, he'd been so angry. So closed off. But now he had Carolyn and, even from this distance, she could see the love they had for each other. Cameron deserved to be happy again and it looked as if her was finally on the right track.

Speaking of deserving happiness, she spied Daniel and Vala coming up the walk. They had their arms around each other's waists, Vala leaning her head on the young man's shoulder. She smiled gently at the couple. They seemed so completely different yet fit together perfectly.

Wendy really did like Vala. Seriously, how could anyone help it? She had a way of pulling you in, whether you wanted to be or not. She was just so full of life. That's why Wendy had been so surprised to discover how the girl really saw herself. She just didn't understand it. But it looked as if Daniel had set her straight. His was a gentle soul, she's seen that from the beginning. He was exactly what Vala needed to counteract her more turbulent one.

She sighed when she felt two arms come around her waist and leant into the strong embrace of her husband.

"Eggnog's almost ready." he whispered in her ear. "You think they're ready to come in yet?"

Wendy glanced again toward the couples as they met on the porch and engaged in conversation. They all seemed so happy, she was reluctant to interrupt but knew it had to be done.

"They're ready." She knew Frank could tell she hadn't just meant the beverage and smiled up at him. The love shining in his eyes was exactly what she wanted for the couples standing outside. And it looked as if they were all well on their way to achieving it.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	7. Chapter 7

I started this chapter three different times and this is what I came up with. I knew I wanted to use Jack's perspective but he's a much more elusive character than I gave him credit for. And, believe me, I give him a lot of credit. Anywho, there is a bit of angst and a lot of reflecting. But I've also got eggnog and drunk Daniel so enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**24 December**

"Why do you call it tree-trimming, anyway?" Vala asked as she pulled a bright red ornament from the plastic box. "I don't see any pruning apparatus around."

"It doesn't mean trimming as in cutting, Princess." Mitchell said, trying to unravel a strand of lights and growing more irritated by the second. "It means to decorate."

"Why don't you just say decorate the tree, then?"

"Fine, we're "decorating" the tree. Happy?"

"Yes." she remarked with a grin as she set aside the bauble and took the string of lights from him. "Actually, I am."

Jack watched as Vala effortlessly untangled the mess, laughing when Mitchell blanched. The young colonel quickly recovered and handed her the box full of lights, telling her to have fun. The alien merely shrugged and went to work on the chaos known as Christmas lights.

"What goes on first, anyway?" Vala asked.

"Well, once you're done untangling those lights, we have to string them around the tree."

"Oh, okay." Vala pulled on the last strand and smiled. "Finished."

"Already?" Cam asked, incredulous, looking into the now empty box. Everyone else laughed at his surprise.

"Of course. It's a lot easier than hacking into a Goa'uld mainframe."

Everyone looked around to see if Mitchell's parents had heard Vala's slip but, thankfully, their hosts were not in the room at the moment.

"Dammit, Vala!" Mitchell said. "Be careful what you say. Last thing we need is for my parents to find out they have an alien in the house." He made sure to whisper the word "alien" as his eyes continued to dart around the room.

"Relax, Cameron." she said. "I'm sure your parents aren't the type to ask questions."

"Even so, watch what you say."

"Fine, fine. Now, about stringing those lights..."

Jack watched on as Mitchell showed Vala how to properly wrap the lights around the tree. When they were done with that, he told her it was time to hang the ornaments. She jumped up in the air, clapping her hands in excitement and Jack chuckled. Seeing Christmas through Vala's eyes was like experiencing it from the perspective of a child. Everything was new to her and he felt himself being pulled into the fun.

Suddenly, he remembered the year he taught Charlie how to string lights and felt the familiar pang of sadness thinking about his son always brought him. Charlie had been about three at the time and he'd wanted to help him decorate the tree. Jack had been more than happy to teach him and they'd had fun that Christmas. Charlie had always loved the holiday and so had Jack. Seeing the light shining in his son's eyes at the magic of the Christmas tree had always filled him with joy. After Charlie died, he'd stopped celebrating. He hadn't wanted to be reminded that he'd never see that innocence again. It was easier not to think about it.

Jack felt a hand rest upon his and looked up to see that Sam had come to sit next to him. She smiled gently, silently letting him know she understood. And that he didn't have to explain. He smiled back and turned his hand in hers to squeeze it. She's always been able to pull him back from the edge of his despair and he was grateful.

He was pulled back to reality by a loud, unladylike snort of laughter to see Vala holding up an ornament with a photo inside.

"Cameron," Vala asked, perplexed. "Why do you have...Are those horns on your head in this photograph?"

"Give me that!" He made to grab for the incriminating evidence but Vala was too quick as she passed it over to Daniel.

"These aren't horns, sweetheart. They're antlers." Daniel didn't even seem to notice the endearment that just slipped out but everyone else did. When he looked up, they were all staring at him. "What?"

"Oh nothing, _sweetheart._" Jack mocked. Daniel reddened a little but simply shrugged his shoulders and passed the ornament over to Jack and Sam. Jack laughed as he took in the sight of a young Mitchell, probably around seven or eight, wearing a pair of reindeer antlers and a red nose.

"Anything you wanna tell us, Rudolph?" he asked.

"It was a silly play. I was just a kid."

"I think you look cute." Sam put in, taking the ornament from Jack and giving it back to Cameron. "Besides, don't forget I've seen some of your baby pictures, General Bare Bottom."

"Anywho," Jack interrupted before anyone could ask questions. "Didn't I hear someone say something about eggnog earlier?"

"Right here." Wendy said, walking in, carrying a tray laden with mugs.

"Ah, perfect timing. Dare I hope it's spiked?"

"Is there any other kind?" Frank retorted as he took a seat in the large recliner.

"Well, I certainly hope this alcohol is more potent than what Darrell gave me at your reunion, Cameron." Vala said as she took a sip of the beverage. "Mmm, this is delicious. Would you care for some, Daniel?"

"Maybe just one cup." he said cautiously.

"Watch him, Vala." Jack warned. "Last thing we need is for Danny boy here to pass out on us."

"Funny, Jack." Daniel rolled his eyes and took a quick swig of the drink to prove he wasn't such a lightweight. He regretted it instantly but refused to let Jack see how much the liquor was already affecting him.

They continued to decorate the tree and Jack made sure Daniel had refills of his eggnog. Once they finished with the ornaments, Mitchell pulled out the garland.

"Wait a minute, Mitchell." Jack stood abruptly. "Garland?"

"What's wrong with garland?" Mitchell looked affronted.

"Nothing, if you want the tree to look cheap." He heard Sam groan behind him but chose to ignore her. She'd heard his views on garland before. "What you want is tinsel."

"Jack, tinsel is dangerous." Sam said.

"To animals and children. Do you see any of those around?"

"No, but-"

"Besides, it's prettier than garland."

"Jack's right." Carolyn put in. "Tinsel is much prettier. If applied correctly."

"Applied correctly?" Jack questioned. "There's a right way and a wrong way to "apply" tinsel?"

"Of course, there is." Carolyn said, matter-of-fact. "One strand at a time as opposed to big chunks just thrown about willy-nilly."

"I happen to like the "willy-nilly" look."

"You would," she snorted.

"Wait a minute." Mitchell said as she watched Carolyn square off with the general. "How about we get an impartial viewpoint. Vala, garland or tinsel?" He held up the decorations for her to scrutinize.

"I don't really see the difference between the two. Why don't we just use both?"

"Both!" Carolyn and Jack shouted in unison. The comment had the desired effect for Vala as the four combatants started up their argument again, leaving her completely out of it. She smirked as she leant back into Daniel's embrace. He had a goofy grin on his face which made her wonder just how many times Jack had refilled his mug.

Turning her attention from Daniel, she watched as the others continued to bicker even as they took her advice to use both decorations. Samantha and Cameron wound the string of garland around the tree, nearly catching Jack as they went. From the smirks both the colonels wore, she was quite certain it was not entirely an accident. Jack looked purposely affronted as he went about tossing tinsel on the tree, seemingly oblivious of the glare being sent is way by Carolyn.

To an outsider, it might seem as if these people hated each other, but Vala knew differently. They were a family and they loved each other. Never in her life had she believed she'd find something like this. She hadn't even believed it existed. But they'd taken a chance on her and allowed her to become a part of their group, their family, and she was beyond grateful. She loved them and would do anything to ensure their safety. She'd always deplored being dependent on anyone but herself. Now she couldn't imagine her life without their support, their companionship, their love. And the most important part of that was holding her in his arms at the moment. Because if him, she'd found a place to belong. Smiling back at him, she kissed his chin.

"I love you, Daniel."

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He smiled back and placed a kiss to her lips. It was perfect. Well, until they were rudely interrupted.

"All right." Jack said loudly. "Break it up, you two. This is a G-rated Christmas."

They broke apart and Vala glared good-naturedly at him, laughing.

"Well, what do you think?" Jack asked as he made a big show of pointing to the tree.

She stood, pulling Daniel up with her. He was a little wobbly so she did her best to keep him steady as they studied the tree. She turned her head side-to-side, taking in each angle. The gold garland was actually quite lovely but half of the tree had silver tinsel clumped on it while the other side had single strands laying perfectly on each branch. It looked lopsided, offbeat, and a bit manic.

"It's perfect." she said with a grin. And it was, just like her family.

"Not yet, Princess." Cameron said as he pulled out a beautiful angel draped in white. "Would you care to do the honours?"

Vala looked at the figure with curiosity then back at Cameron.

"It goes on top." Jack explained with a smile. "Need a boost?"

"If anyone's gonna do any boosting, it'll be me." Daniel slurred, jealously.

"Daniel, darling. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you can barely hold yourself up at the moment. I think I'll just use a ladder."

"You don't trust me?" He looked so disappointed she actually thought about capitulating but knew he was in no state to hold her steady. They'd both end up with a broken bone or two."

"Of course I do, darling." she said, placing a hand to his cheek. "But I really do believe a stepladder would be safer. Okay?"

After a moment, he nodded and sat back down. She felt his eyes on her backside and grinned as she carefully placed the angel on top. Stepping down, she stood back with the others to revel in their handiwork. Yes, it was perfect. Just like her family.

The entire time the team was trimming the tree, Wendy and Frank just sat back to watch the exhibition. It was great to see the camaraderie of the group. Whether they were arguing, laughing, or just enjoying each other's company, it was easy to see the love they all shared. They were all staring at the tree with smiles on their faces and Wendy was once again disinclined to break up the party but it was getting late. So she stood up and grabbed the empty mugs, placing them on the tray.

"Well, I'm off to bed. We'll see you all in the morning." She and Frank were about to leave the room when she turned back with a knowing smile. "Vala, I placed an extra pillow and blanket on the sofa for you and Daniel. Good night."

"Good night." they all chorused as their hosts left.

"I'm with Wendy." Jack said with an exaggerated yawn. "Ready, Sam?"

"You betcha." she grinned. "But don't you think we should help Vala with Daniel? I think he's fallen asleep."

The team looked over to the archaeologist and, sure enough, he was starting to doze off.

"Okay, sunshine." Cam said as he placed one arm under Daniel's and Jack did the same on the other side. "Upsy-daisy. Santa Claus won't come if you're not in bed."

"Don't be ridiculous, Mitchell." Daniel slurred as he popped open one eye and staggered to the sofa. "Santa Claus isn't real. But St. Nicholas-"

"Oh boy," Cam groaned. "Even drunk and asleep on his feet, he lectures." When they reached the couch, he and Jack unceremoniously dumped the good doctor onto it and turned to leave.

"Okay, now can we go to bed?" Jack pleaded.

"Yes, Jack." Sam laughed as she led him to the stairs. "Good night."

Cam said his good nights and started for the den with Carolyn when he stopped dead in his tracks as realisation hit him. Sam and Jack were headed to his old bedroom which meant...

"Remind me to burn that mattress before we leave here." he said to Carolyn who was already in the den. She only laughed as she pulled in and closed the door.

Vala chuckled at her friends and settled onto the couch with Daniel. He reached for her and mumbled sleepily, "Love you."

"Love you, too." she whispered back and kissed his chin.

Yup, they were a mystifying, strange, mismatched group but they were perfect in her eyes. They were family.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8

Kind of a short one, but I hope you like it.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

**25 December**

When Wendy awoke the next morning, she was a little surprised to see Vala already up and brewing coffee.

"Good morning. You're up early."

The young woman turned to her and smiled. Not a forced smile like yesterday's. This one reached her eyes and lit up her face. Wendy was happy to see it.

"Yes, well, Daniel is going to have the father of all headaches after last night so I figured I'd have his coffee waiting for him."

It took Wendy a moment to figure out what she meant by her first statement then realised she must have meant to say mother, not father. She let it slide because she knew Vala had a tendency to mix up her idioms.

"So, you and Daniel are doing okay?" she asked instead.

"Oh, yes." Vala said as she filled two mugs and brought them to the table. "We had a long talk yesterday. He...I think the Tau'ri phrase is, set me straight."

"Tau'ri?" Wendy questioned before she could stop herself. At the look on Vala's face, she regretted it instantly. "Sorry, forget I asked that."

Vala gave her a grateful smile as she changed the subject. "So, I hear it is traditional to have a big feast today. What can I do to help?"

Wendy smiled back and started getting things ready to cook the meal. "Have you ever cooked a turkey?"

()()()()

An hour later, Daniel awoke with a terrible headache and went in search of coffee and Vala. Not necessarily in that order. What he found made him smile. She was standing at the kitchen counter, chopping celery and crooning out _Deck the Halls_. Her singing voice was rich and sultry, just like her speaking one and he felt himself being pulled in. Leaning against the archway, he listened and felt his headache slowly begin to melt away. Suddenly Wendy looked up from where she sat at the table, rolling dough, and smiled up at him. He placed a finger to his lips, indicating he didn't want Vala to know he was there yet. She merely grinned and gave him a silent giggle as she went back to work.

When Vala finished the song, he sneaked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She jumped a bit then leant back into his embrace, looking up with a smile so full of love it made his knees weak. How had he never seen this before? Was she that good at hiding her feelings or was he just that blind? It didn't matter any more, he told himself as he dipped in for a kiss. What mattered was that he saw it now and he was going to make sure it stayed that way. He loved this woman more than he'd thought possible and, now that he had her, he was never letting go.

"I love you." he whispered as he pulled back, not letting go of her waist.

"I love you, too." She turned in his embrace and wrapped her own arms around his waist, snuggling in for a hug. "No hangover, darling?"

"Not any more."

"Good." she said with a grin. "Because Wendy and I drank all of the coffee."

He smiled back and dove in for another kiss just because he knew he could. It took him a few moments to register the clearing of a throat behind him but he was still reluctant to pull back. In fact, he didn't do so until he felt Vala's hands pushing at his chest. Finally stepping back, not fully letting her go, he turned a glare on whomever had the nerve to interrupt them. He found four grinning faces and couldn't help the answering smile that tugged at his lips.

"Okay, break it up kids." Jack said with a smirk. "This is a family show, remember?"

"You're just jealous, Jack." he said with his own smirk. One he'd learnt from this man.

"Jealous of what? Remember, I've got the blonde. And you know what they say about blondes."

"No, Jack." Sam crossed her arms and glared. "What do they say about blondes?"

"Uh..." Jack stammered for a moment. "Nothing. Never mind. Anywho, what's cookin'?

Daniel laughed. Oh, Jack was going to pay for that one and he was going to enjoy watching. Samantha Carter could be downright evil when it came to revenge.

"Daniel?" Vala asked. He looked down to see a confused pucker to her brow. "What _do_ they say about blondes?"

Daniel grinned and kissed her cheek. "Nothing important. I'll tell you later."

"Okay." She shrugged, pulling out of his arms and going back to cutting the celery.

Daniel silently laughed as he wondered about Vala's reaction to the meaning of Jack's statement. Maybe he'd have _two_ women hell-bent on revenge.

()()()()

"That was great, Mom." Cameron said as he patted his full stomach. "Best bird you've ever made."

"Don't look at me." Wendy laughed. "Vala made it."

"Why am I not surprised. You can pilot anything that flies, untangle Christmas lights with no trouble, talk yourself out of any situation. Of course, you can cook. Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

"Not that I can think of." she said and screwed up her face as of she were actually thinking about it.

Wendy laughed at their teasing and stood. "If you're all not too stuffed, I've got apple pie in the kitchen."

"There's always room for pie." Jack said excitedly.

Before Wendy could leave, though, Sam interrupted. "We'd like to make an announcement first, wouldn't we, Jack?"

"We would?" he questioned. She elbowed him in the stomach and he straightened. "I mean, of course we would. We're getting married."

There was silence for a few moments before Vala squealed and jumped out of her seat. Rounding the table, she enveloped Sam in a tight hug.

"I am so happy for you!" she said.

"Thank you, Vala." Sam grinned as she hugged her friend with equal fervour.

"Congratulations, you two." Daniel said. "It's about time, too."

The rest of the group doled out their best wishes but Mitchell still looked shell-shocked. "What about the regs?" he asked.

More silence greeted this question. Not even Sam had an answer for that one.

"That won't be a problem." Jack said with a quick, nervous glance at Sam. "I'm retiring."

"You're what?" came Sam, Mitchell, and Daniel's simultaneous reaction.

"Would you excuse us, please?" Without waiting for an answer, Sam walked out, knowing full-well that Jack was going to follow.

"Oh, boy." Cam muttered as he watched his friends disappear out the door. "Me and my big mouth."

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

**25 December**

Jack followed Sam onto the porch. He knew he was in hot water so he tried to talk before she could. "Listen, I'm sorry I-"

"Stop." she interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me you wanted to retire?"

"I was going to, I just couldn't find the right time and place."

"And you thought Christmas dinner in front of the team and Cam's parents was the perfect place?"

"Well, at least I won't have to repeat myself later. Everyone already knows." he joked and she glared. Yup, hot water. Of the boiling variety. "Okay, bad timing."

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday when you proposed?"

"I didn't want to ruin the moment."

"How long have you been contemplating retirement? This can't just be a recent decision."

"No, it's not. I've been thinking about it since we started dating but only recently has it become a serious idea."

"How recently?" If possible, her eyes narrowed even more.

"Since you guys destroyed the Ori."

"Jack, that was almost a year ago! Why didn't you talk to me about it? This is something that affects both of us."

"I didn't want to say anything until I was certain. Now, I'm sure. I'm going to retire the moment I get back to Washington."

"Why now?"

Jack didn't know exactly how to answer. There wasn't anything really concrete about his decision. Just that he knew he couldn't do this any more. He wanted more. He wanted a life. And he wanted that life to be with Sam.

"It's time." was all he said but he knew she'd understand.

"Okay." she said with a nod. "What now? I mean, after you retire, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I was thinking we'd kidnap the space monkey and space pirate and go to Vegas. I want to marry you as soon as possible."

"I like that idea." She climbed into his embrace and held on. "And after that?"

"I was thinking about moving back to Colorado Springs. Raise some dogs, maybe a few kids. You game?"

She grinned up at him and gave him a quick kiss. "Oh, I'm game. I just hope you know what you're in for."

"Don't worry. I've been thinking about this for over ten years. I'm ready if you are." Before she could answer, he dipped down for a kiss. Yup, he was ready.

()()()()

"You think we should interrupt?" Vala asked as she watched Samantha and Jack on the front porch. They'd been out there for almost a half-hour.

"Why not? They've interrupted us enough in the last two days." Daniel made for the door and popped his head out. "Hey, love-birds! Time to come in of you want presents."

"Presents!" Jack shouted as he dragged Samantha into the house. "You better have saved me some pie, Danny boy."

"Sorry, Jack. Vala ate the last piece. You know how she is with pie." Daniel teased.

Vala laughed at their antics as Jack glared at her.

"That's the second time in three days your lady has taken my pie, Daniel. I'm beginning to sense a pattern here and I don't like it."

"Should have come in sooner, General Jack." she said, walking away. In truth, there were still three pies in the fridge but she was not about to tell _him_ that. Let him squirm.

Daniel, Sam, and Jack followed her into the living room where the rest of the group was waiting for them.

"It's about time you guys showed up." Cam said from his position on the floor. He winced when Carolyn smacked him on the arm. Hard. "What? I want my presents."

Vala went to the tree and dug out the gift she'd gotten for him, tossing it into his lap. "Here you go, Cameron. I saw this on Ebay and, for some reason, thought of you."

Cameron tore into the gift with glee but the smile quickly turned into a grimace when he saw what it was. "_Leadership for Dummies_? Thanks a lot."

Everyone laughed and doled out the rest of the gifts. Vala watched on as they all delighted in the things chosen for them by their friends. The Tau'ri were a curious people. She'd never met a people who enjoyed giving tokens of their friendships like they did. At first she'd been suspicious of such behaviour. Having grown up under Goa'uld rule then making her living as a thief, she'd never received a gift without strings attached. She'd been shocked when Daniel had fought with General Landry to let her stay on Earth after she'd come back from the Ori galaxy. She just couldn't make herself believe he'd do something like that without expecting anything in return. It wasn't until she'd been rescued from Athena that she'd begun to see it for what it truly was; friendship without restrictions. Even now, she sometimes found it difficult to accept at face value but she was learning.

"You gonna open your gifts?" came Daniel's deep voice from beside her.

She'd been so caught up in enjoying the merriment of her friends, she'd forgotten all about herself. That in itself was something she'd never have thought possible. Smiling up at Daniel, she opened her gift from Jack first; a book full of English idioms. She laughed when she discovered and read the note inside the front cover.

_Thought this might help you in understanding Mitchell. You're on your own with the other three, though. General Jack._

Setting it aside, she unwrapped the others, finally coming to Daniel's. As she pulled aside the beautiful paper, it revealed a small wooden box with intricate carvings etched into the top and sides.

"This is beautiful." she said in a whisper.

"It belonged to my mother."

"Daniel," she gasped and looked at the box again. "I can't take this. It must be special to you." He'd told her of his parents a few months ago. She knew what it was like to lose a parent at an early age. But to lose both? She couldn't even fathom what that must be like.

"It is, but so are you. I want you to have it."

"I love it, thank you." She wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt the tears fall from her eyes. She knew how much the memories of his parents meant to him and was stunned that he'd give her something so precious.

"You okay?" Daniel asked after a few moments when she refused to let go.

"Yes." she said as she pulled back and wiped her eyes.

"Wanna get out of here?"

She nodded and they left, grabbing their coats and stepping onto the porch. He pulled her over to the swing and she curled into him. It had started snowing while they were inside and Vala loved to watch it. They hadn't had snow on the planet she'd grown up on and Qetesh hated the cold so most of her planets were desert-like in terrain. She hadn't actually seen snow until a few years after Qetesh. She'd gone to a mountainous planet to hide out from a job gone bad and stepped out of the Chappa'ai to a white covered ground. She had no idea what it was, then it started falling from the sky. She'd swiftly made her way to a house a few miles from the ring and asked for refuge. The old woman inside explained to her what snow was. She hadn't liked it then and left the planet as quickly as possible. Better to risk running into her enemies than freeze to death. She'd seen it off and on throughout her travels, never staying long enough to enjoy it. But that had been her way. Get in, get the job done, and leave before anyone noticed she was even there.

Then she'd come to Earth, to what was apparently one of the snowiest regions on this planet. She'd hated going out in the cold at first but she'd quickly gotten to like it. Especially when Cameron had taught her the fine art of making snowballs. The look on Teal'c's face when she'd hit him square in the face had been priceless. She finally understood why people enjoyed this cold, wet, white stuff. She'd finally stayed long enough to enjoy it herself.

"What are you smiling about?" Daniel asked as he wrapped his arms tighter around her shoulders.

"I'm just thinking about my first snowball fight."

"Yeah, I remember that. Mitchell ended up with six stitches to the eye, didn't he?"

"Seven." she corrected. "And he should have told me ice-balls were against the rules."

Daniel only snorted as he leant over, pulling something out of his back pocket and raising it over her head.

"What is that?"

"It's a surprise. Look up."

She did and grinned when she saw a sprig of mistletoe. "I thought you said there was nothing romantic about a parasitic plant."

"Well, I've had time to review my earlier statement and came to the conclusion that I was wrong."

"Oh, and how did you reach that conclusion?"

"Well, I realised that this tiny plant would give me permission to do this any time I wanted." He dipped his head for a kiss and Vala melted into it. Yes, she was glad she'd finally stayed long enough to enjoy the snow.

* * *

><p>AN: Just finished the final chapter last night so I'll be uploading it tomorrow. Just in time, too, because I came down with a stomach virus late last night and I am not feeling well at all.

* * *

><p><strong>R&amp;R does not mean read and run. Please review!<strong>


	10. Chapter 10

I've been sick so I really didn't do much editing on this one.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10<strong>

**26 December**

"C'mon, Vala." Daniel shouted from the foot of the stairs. "Jack's threatening to leave without us."

"Calm down, Daniel." she said, dragging her suitcases behind her. "He wouldn't dare leave without us."

"Oh, and why not?"

"Because, General Landry would have a fit if he left behind the two most important members of the SGC."

He chuckled as he took up a bag and followed her outside. The laugh quickly turned into a grunt. "What do you have in here? It weighs a ton."

"You think that's heavy? You should feel the bags Samantha and I bring home after a trip to Victoria's Secret."

A statement like that would normally have Daniel glaring or blushing. This time, though, he simply laughed knowing that from now on he was going to be the only on seeing her in those things. Speaking of which... "Hey, why is it I haven't seen any of those "silky under-things" you mentioned on this trip?"

"Oh, you will." She gave him a sultry look as she hefted both bags into the back of the car. "Just wait until we get home."

Daniel didn't even try to hid his grin as he walked up to their hosts. He shook Frank's hand then turned to Wendy and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you." he whispered, knowing he didn't have to explain exactly what he meant. She knew.

"You're welcome." She pulled back with a smile the grabbed Vala into a hug, whispering something in her ear that made he laugh. He gave her a questioning look but she merely shook her head and took his hand, leading him back toward their vehicle.

Cam watched the new couple with a wary gaze. He was happy for them, no doubt. They both deserved some happiness for a change. What worried him, though, was what this might do to his team. He'd worked so hard to get, and keep, them together. He didn't want to lose it. Setting aside his morose thoughts, he made his way over to his parents. Carolyn was already standing there, talking to his mother.

"Now, don't you let that son of mine use his charm to get away with anything. Take a firm hand. It's worked for me for over thirty years. Isn't that right, dear?" She turned to Frank with a beguiling smile and Cam saw his father's answering smirk.

"That's right, honey."

Cameron smirked when his mother turned back to Carolyn and his father rolled his eyes.

"I saw that." Wendy said and both men straightened, giving each other guilty looks.

"I'll try." Carolyn said in answer to Wendy's earlier statement and hugged the other woman. She went back to the car, leaving Cam alone with his parents.

"I like her, Cameron." Wendy said. "She's good for you."

"I know, Mom." He shot a quick look toward Caro then turned back. "I think she may be the one."

His mother grinned and pulled him into a hug. "It's about time."

"Gee, thanks, Mom." he said but couldn't keep the answering grin from his face.

"Now, listen," she said as she pulled back. "You come back more often. We miss you. And bring the team. They're a strange group but I like them."

"Okay, Mom." He gave her one last kiss to the cheek then turned to hug his father. "See ya, Dad." Before he could pull away, he heard a car horn honk.

"Hey!" Jack yelled. "Move it. Some of us have jobs to get back to."

"Yes, sir." Cameron yelled back wondering how much longer he'd have to refer to O'Neill as "sir" and whether or not he'd be able to call him Jack in the future. Trying it our in his mind, he instantly rebuffed the idea. No matter how long he knew this man, _that_ was never going to happen.

"Love you guys." he said as he turned and climbed into the car. As he led his motley crew toward the airport he thought about how much he was going to miss the farm. But, not matter how much he loved Kansas, he wouldn't give up his job for anything.

()()()()

As the team stood ready to be beamed out, Jack took in the group one last time. He couldn't believe how much had changed in the short time they'd been here. He and Sam were engaged. Daniel and Vala were dating. Hell, even Mitchell and Carolyn looked closer. He laughed to himself when he thought of Hank's reaction to that idea. He knew the other general liked to mess with Mitchell when it came to his daughter. But he also knew that Hank liked and respected the young colonel. He once admitted to Jack that he wouldn't mind seeing the two eventually marry. But he'd never tell Mitchell that. He enjoyed watching the man squirm too much.

He looked over to Daniel and Vala next. He was thrilled to see best friend happy again. He'd known from the beginning that Vala was perfect for him, even if it had taken the archaeologist so long to admit it. They'd been pretty much inseparable before, but now...With that thought in mind, he was rethinking taking those two to Vegas. He'd have a hell of a time explaining how he'd gone down to marry Sam and ended up having a double wedding. He grinned at the thought and turned to lock eyes with Sam. She was silently laughing as if she actually knew what he'd been thinking. And, knowing her, she likely did. Man, he couldn't believe he was finally going to marry her.

His musings were suddenly interrupted by Vala's accented voice.

"Daniel, you never did explain that blonde thing."

Jack cringed as Daniel leant down to whisper something in her ear. The last thing he saw before the white light of the Asgard beam engulfed them was the steal-grey glare given him by the alien. Boy, was he in trouble.

* * *

><p>That's all there is, there isn't any more.<p>

A/N 1: Now that I've finished this story, I'm going to sleep for the next few days. Hopefully I'll get over this bug quickly.

A/N 2: I likely won't be posting anything new until after the new year so Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!


End file.
